In 1982, longtime friends Patricia Miller and Barbara Bradley Baekgaard recognized a need for feminine-looking luggage and turned a simple idea into the beginning of an American dream. The response in the marketplace was overwhelming and Vera Bradley quickly became a leader in fashionable, colorful, cotton quilted handbags, accessories, luggage and gift items for women of every age. For over 20 years, Vera Bradley has had a loyal following of customers who not only look forward to their lovely new fabrics and styles that are introduced each season, but who also appreciate the function and quality that is synonymous with their name.